This invention relates generally to the field of clothing organizers and more specifically to a pants hanger system.
Devices for hanging a pair of pants have been in existence for many years and are well known. The most common pants hanger has a horizontally disposed hanging bar that is connected by at least one rigid elongate member to an inverted U shaped member that can be removably supported by a rigid horizontal rod that is mounted within a standard clothes closet. The most typical pants hangers are constructed of wire, wood or plastic and can double as a shirt hanger in that the elongate members and the attached hanging bar form a shallow triangular shape where a pair of pants can be folded over the hanging bar, and a shirt or jacket can be hung over the sloping elongate members.
There are some hanger designs available in the market that are specifically designed for pants only. These designs usually attempt to grasp the cuff portion of the pants so that the remainder of the pant hangs down vertically. These designs usually require a somewhat difficult two handed operation where a clamping member is lifted, the pant cuff is placed between the clamping member and a non movable member, and then the clamping member is forced down over the pant cuffs to retain the pants. These types of pant hangers save space in a closet in that, instead of each pair of pants being folded over a hanger bar, the clamping type pants hangers can be grouped one above the other in a single pants hanging apparatus that allows the pants to be positioned more closely together and thereby save space in a closet.
However, there are several deficiencies in the prior technology. First, the crimping system described above tends to deform the pant material so that when the pant is removed from the hanger, there is an unwanted crease. Second, Many of the existing designs force the user to perform the pants hanging action while in the closet because the pants hanging members are physically connected to each other and can not be removed one at a time. This can be inconvenient for the user. Finally, the current dedicated pants hanger designs tend to be difficult to use in that the user has to hold the pants with one hand, open the spring biased clamping bar with the other hand and then try to place the pant cuffs perfectly within the opened clamp before letting the clamp close. This action requires a level of dexterity that some user's do not have.